Field
This disclosure relates to systems and methods for refilling inkjet cartridges. More specifically, this disclosure relates to systems and methods for resetting an inkjet cartridge, such as modifying electronics of an inkjet cartridge.
Background
In the personal and business computer market, inkjet printers are very common. Inkjet printers are inexpensive, quiet, fast and produce high quality output. However, replacement cartridges can be expensive. Although some manual inkjet refilling kits are available, they can be difficult and messy for individuals to use, and inkjet cartridges may become damaged during the refilling task, especially when performed by inexperienced users. Moreover, many inkjet cartridges use programmable logic chips (PLCs) to control ink usage and other parameters of the inkjet cartridge and to properly identify an inkjet cartridge to the inkjet printer. A PLC is an electronic device that resides on an inkjet cartridge and communicates information, generally bi-directionally, with the inkjet printer and stores and provides data about the inkjet cartridge and inkjet cartridge status to and from the inkjet printer. Resetting such PLCs enables the inkjet cartridge to be refilled with ink (e.g., when empty) and, with this PLC having been reset, to perform substantially the same as a new cartridge.
Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of printer and imaging products, such as Lexmark®, Canon®, Hewlett Packard® and the like, make replacement inkjet cartridges that fit their respective inkjet printers. Generally, a unique PLC is developed for each specific model and color of inkjet cartridge. Additionally, the placement of these PLCs and the geometry of each of inkjet cartridge differ among various cartridges, even among the same OEMs. As such, in a retail store environment for refilling inkjet cartridges, this variation in PLCs and geometry of cartridges requires a substantial number of PLC resetting or reprogramming devices which generally operate separately from the inkjet refilling system.